A gunman in the murder of five people on Wednesday in South Carolina was former NFL player Phillip Adams, a source told The Associated Press.
A doctor, his wife and their two young grandchildren were among those found Wednesday evening at a house in York County, South Carolina. They died from gunshot wounds, according to York County Sheriff’s Office.
Adams’s parents live near the doctor’s home and he has been treated by the doctor in the past, according to the AP source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. The source said Adams committed suicide on Thursday after midnight.
Adams was a defensive back for teams including the San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons.
Police have yet to publicly name the suspect, but officers have said identified the suspect in a neighboring house after a long search on Wednesday evening.
Dr Robert Lesslie, 70, Barbara Lesslie, 69, and their grandchildren Adah Lesslie, 9, and Noah Lesslie, 5, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the York County Coroner’s Office. James Lewis, 38, was found dead outside. Lewis was working from home at the time, the police said.
A sixth person was injured and taken to a local hospital with serious gunshot wounds, York County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Trent Faris said at a press conference.
Faris said police were called to the scene around 4:45 p.m. Wednesday. He said Robert Lesslie was his own doctor growing up.
“Dr. Lesslie is one of those people that everyone knows,” he said. “He founded Riverview Medical Center in Rock Hill and has been a Rock Hill staple for years.”
Lesslie has practiced in the area since 1981 and founded Riverview House Calls & Riverview Hospice and Palliative Care, according to her website. He and his wife have four children and eight grandchildren, according to a biography on the website. They lived in Rock Hill, South Carolina, with their golden retriever, several miniature horses, goats, donkeys and chickens. He loved golf and bagpipes.
“It doesn’t happen here,” Faris said at the press conference. “It’s one of those weird things that a lot of people will have a hard time understanding.”
Contribute: The Associated Press
Contact News Now Reporter Christine Fernando at cfernando@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern.